By Eden
American airstrikes killed General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC’s) Quds Force on January 3. Also confirmed dead was Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iranian-backed militia, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
Needless to say, the Iranian government is not happy and the relationship between the American and Iranian governments has become that much more fragile. Many people, both in America and abroad, fear a new war will break out.
Another war in the Middle East is the last thing America, or anyone else, needs. What was accomplished in the previous wars? Very little. If anything, American interference made the situation worse. Removing Saddam Hussein from power destabilized Iraq and gave ISIS the room it needed to grow into an international threat. The human rights of Iraqis were violated. Children were murdered and raped. Countless civilians were killed. Prejudice against Muslims spread globally. Whatever “victory” the American people think they got out of the war? The price was too high.
Yet once again the American government is interfering in the Middle East, bringing everyone involved closer and closer to the brink of war. And however bad Bush was, Trump is worse. He has already taken a “hands-off” approach to the War on Terror and there has been an increase in civilian deaths since he took office. He has also taken steps to keep the number of civilian deaths from the public, likely to try and dodge further criticism.
If war breaks out, Islamophobia will become more and more vicious. Human rights will be violated both at home and overseas. The Middle East will lose what little stability it has and new threats will emerge from the chaos.
It will be a disaster to end all disasters…until the American Imperialism machine gets bored again anyway.